Downtown DeLand's giant toy soldiers will be ready for duty again in 2009

Prison inmates take PRIDE in holiday sentries

By Jen Horton
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Dec 24, 2008 - 9:47:45am

Downtown DeLand will once again have its beloved toy soldiers, thanks to PRIDE Enterprises.

The giant fiberglass soldiers were on medical leave this year, after being damaged by vandals. And, the "hospital" bill — the cost of repairs — was too high for the city to pay.

But, City Manager Michael Pleus said, Christmas came early.

Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified (PRIDE) Enterprises will be the city's Santa for 2009. The prison work program will donate the labor and supplies to repair one soldier and create three new ones.

PRIDE's corporate mission is to teach job skills and develop work ethics among prison inmates.

According to Pleus, the prisoners heard about the soldiers, and wanted to help.

"It's kind of neat," he said. "The prisoners felt bad. They went to their supervisor and said, 'We want to do this.'"

The city currently uses two prison crews to help the Public Works department with maintenance duties.

"A lot of these guys have been working with us for many years," Pleus said.

Because of the generosity of the prisoners, Downtown DeLand's sidewalk sentries will return in 2009.

The holiday spirit and dedication of DeLand residents, even those temporarily living in jail, "kind of reminds me why I love DeLand," Pleus said.

Bruce Hall, industry manager for PRIDE's heavy-vehicle operations at Tomoka Correctional Institution, and his crews work on homeland-security equipment, such as fire trucks.

After reading in the newspaper how vandalism deprived Downtown DeLand of its toy soldiers, Hall shared the news with the prisoners.

"They thought that was pretty lousy," he said.

His fiberglass and paint guys said they had the knowledge and experience to create and repair the soldiers, and they wanted to donate those skills to DeLand.

"They're the ones who wanted to do this," Hall said.

Hall has been with PRIDE operation at Tomoka Correctional for 15 years.

"The funny thing about these guys," he said, "is they still have connections to the community."

Hall also is eager to see the soldiers back in action along Woodland Boulevard.

"I love them," he said. "I live in DeLeon Springs, and I drive to DeLand to see them."

For more information about PRIDE Industries, visit www.pride-enterprises.org. For more information about the City of DeLand, visit www.deland.org.

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

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